


The Weak and the Strong

by Bandity



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blood, Child Abuse, Gen, It's me so someone is going to puke, Langst, Major injuries, Minor Injuries, Minor Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Panic Attacks, Self-Hatred, Violence, Vomit, maybe not so graphic but I'm being cautious, minor alcohol comsumption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-03-28 14:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13906074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bandity/pseuds/Bandity
Summary: Lance was glad it wasn't actually raining. It would have made him uncomfortable to get soaked. Not that he was comfortable lying in this alleyway, watching the world spin above him.He knew he needed to call for help, but his head hurt so much and, while he was ashamed of it, he was scared. He didn't know how much time had gone by since he lost consciousness. He didn't even know where he was exactly.He didn't know if that man would be back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had really wanted to get this posted days ago, but it just didn't work out. Also, it's a 10K fic, but I split it into two parts because I was having trouble finding time to edit the whole thing. Please excuse mistakes, I'm coming out of midterms and I'm exhausted.

Spring had not yet come to the planet T'yliin. It was cold and it was damp out. The moisture hung in the air, heavy enough that you could taste it. Lance was glad it wasn't actually raining. It would have made him uncomfortable to get soaked. Not that he was comfortable lying in this alleyway, watching the world spin above him.

He knew he needed to call for help, but his head hurt so much and, while he was ashamed of it, he was scared. He didn't know how much time had gone by since he lost consciousness. He didn't even know where he was exactly.

He didn't know if that man would be back.

Lance felt bile rise in his throat and his eyes stung from pain and shame. He wondered if that dampness creeping up his spine was gathering water or blood. He didn’t think he had been stabbed. He should lift up his head and check.

But it was so cold, too cold to move now. Maybe if he just shut his eyes, he would open them and be back in the castle, back with his friends, before this whole mess had started...

* * *

 

T'yliin was a busy planet. It was rich in minerals of all kinds, which is why the Galra were attempting to take control of it. However, T'yliin wasn't without its own weapons and military. They had withstood the Galra's previous attempts for years with relative ease.

They were something of a trading post and beings flocked there from all over the galaxy to trade goods and wares. The Galra had originally played the game, paying for what they needed. However, there had been a recent push for the Galra to just take what they wanted instead.

So the proud T'yliinian people reached out to Voltron for assistance. The fight had been grueling, going on for days before the Galra left the planet. Now there were diplomatic accords and alliances to be constructed and agreed upon and dinners to eat and rituals to be a part of...

Lance wasn't really a fan of stuffy meetings and he had been dreading a lot of it. So, when Allura, Coran and Shiro decided to attend the meetings with only the three of them, Lance was ecstatic to have the time off.

"You all deserve the rest," Shiro said. "The princess thinks it's a good idea to keep the group at the meetings small. The T'yliinians are very much into decorum and they have a strict way of doing everything."

"So, we're keeping Lance away from these meetings," Pidge smirked, elbowing Lance in his side.

"Hey," Lance frowned and elbowed Pidge back. "I'm a complete gentleman." He glanced nervously at Shiro. "But actually, you know, if I'm not needed, I really don't mind the vacation."

Shiro smiled, but there was a tightness around his eyes. Lance wondered if he was tired. Maybe the meetings were stressing him out.

"No, the four of you go and have a good time." Shiro nodded at Keith, who had been hanging back from the group. "Stay out of trouble and don't separate."

"Yeah, stay out of trouble, Keith." Lance grinned.

"Lance..." Shiro shut his eyes and sighed. It must be a headache then.

"Best behavior, got it." Lance leaned against Hunk. "Honestly, you worry way too much. We fight Galra in robot space lions, we can handle a market."

Shiro raised an eyebrow. They both knew that any of them could find trouble anywhere. "Just be careful."

Lance gave a sloppy salute. "Yes, sir!"

* * *

 

The T'yliinians were tall with skin of bronze and dark hair that was finer than anything Lance had ever seen. Their noses were flat and their mouths small. They had 7 long fingers on each hand, which they used to craft wares of all kinds. The T'yliinian market was a huge destination for everyone around the galaxy and it was packed with people from many different planets. Dressed in their civilian clothes, the Paladins didn't stick out much at all. They were just another group of aliens visiting the famous marketplace.

"Hey, my name's Lance."

A small group of aliens giggled and then moved on as Lance winked in their direction. Lance was turning back to his team when another beauty caught his eye.

She was sitting alone at the edge of a statue in the main square, watching some children play a game with stones.

“I'll be right back," Lance whispered quickly to Hunk before he sauntered away, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't go too far!" Hunk called after him. Lance waved him off, not bothering to look back.

"So what brings you here?" Lance used his smoothest grin as he casually leaned against the statue.

The girl looked up and, while she looked a bit startled, she smiled at him.

"It is a market. This is where people go."

"You don't say? Mind if I join you?" Lance sat down next to her. "The name's Lance. What's your name, beautiful?"

"Ryla."

"That's a beautiful name." Lance leaned forward. She was grinning at him; this was going well so far. "So, I'm not from around here, care to give me a tour?"

Ryla's eyes darted toward the children playing and then back at Lance. A flash of uncertainty crossed her face and Lance shifted backwards. His intention wasn't to make her uncomfortable.

"Or we could hang out here?" Lance suggested with a raised eyebrow.

"No, that's fine. It sounds nice." She stood up and waved to one of the children playing. "Lin, I'm going for a walk. Go home after this game."

"I will!" The little girl shouted, barely glancing up.

"Is that your sister? Is she okay alone? Sorry, I didn't know you were watching her." Lance was talking quickly. He didn't want to leave a kid by herself.

"She's fine, our home is just on the other street and she is with our cousin."

"Oh, alright." Lance grinned. "Well, then shall we?" He offered his arm, but either the gesture was alien to her or she was teasing him, because she walked ahead with a small grin on her face. Lance quickened his pace to walk beside her.

Lance saw Hunk in his peripheral vision. His friend was giving him a skeptical look.

Lance mouthed that he would be back later and gave two thumbs up. Hunk shook his head and rolled his eyes. 'Be careful,' Hunk mouthed back.

As Lance walked away, he could hear the voices of his other teammates.

"He's what?" Pidge's voice had reached a pretty high pitch.

"Shiro said to stick together," Keith complained. Lance and Ryla rounded a corner before Lance could hear the rest of their conversation.

Honestly, you get handcuffed to one tree one time and everyone acts like you need to be babysat.

"So you've got a sister and a cousin, is it a big family? I feel like you have a big family."

"I do," Ryla laughed.

"Yeah? I do too. See? I'm so glad I ran into you, we have so much in common."

Yeah, this was going to be a good day.

* * *

 

Things were going so well. Ryla was giving him a tour of the city and she seemed to find him funny. He told her stories about his siblings and cousins. He didn't talk about fighting or the war or even Voltron. Instead he found himself talking about home.

She laughed and Lance thought it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.

They were walking through emptying streets. People were beginning to pack up and go home, customers were finding their way back to their lodgings as the sun began to set.

In the back of his mind, Lance thought he should be getting back. He should take Ryla home, but it was so nice. She was so nice.

He commented that it was getting cold out and he swung an arm around her shoulders. She smiled and they continued walking. He had just begun telling her a story about fishing in a creek with his niece and nephew, when a huge dark figure strode out from one of the side streets and stormed up behind them.

Lance had just registered that someone was there and he had begun to turn, when the figure grabbed Ryla by the hair in one swift motion and yanked her from Lance's loose hold.

The man began stalking away, not even bothering to look back as he dragged Ryla along. She gave a startled gasp, but didn't scream and Lance was so surprised, he could only gape for a second.

His senses came back to him all at once and he ran forward with a shout of "Hey!" on his lips. This T'yliinian had a scar across his cheek and dark, cold eyes. He was at least a head taller than Lance and about twice as broad, but that didn't really matter. Lance wasn't going to let this girl get kidnapped right in front of him.

Lance might as well have picked a fight with a brick wall for all the good his fists did. He tried to trip the guy up, but he was easily tossed aside. Lance jumped up again and threw all his weight at the attacker. He just needed to get him off balance or if he could just pry his hands away from her...

The man dropped Ryla and Lance felt a second of relief before a fist impacted his face.

"Stay away from my daughter, outsider scum!"

_Oh, shit._

Lance had thrown his hands up in defense and he really would have tried to explain himself if the man hadn't fallen on him with an unrelenting rage.

The Galra had never been able to contest the T'yliinians in hand-to-hand combat because the T'yliinians were huge, built of muscle and had raging tempers that could not be satiated.

Lance was on the ground and tasting blood before he was able to process that he was being beaten to a pulp in the middle of the street. He heard Ryla crying out now. She was begging for her father to stop.

Lance really wished he had his armor on.

Ryla’s crying grew closer and he felt her hand land on his face, trying to shield him.

The flurry of fists stopped and Lance gasped as he tried to struggle away. But the man wasn't hovering over him anymore. There was a resounding slap and Lance opened his eyes to see Ryla fall to the ground beside him. Their eyes met for the briefest moment before she was dragged backwards. Her face smacked against cobblestones and Lance saw the streak of red that was left behind.

Lance blinked what he assumed was blood from his eye. He could see the last shop owners packing up, pointedly not looking their way. He could hear Ryla being beat and something ran cold in his blood. He didn't care if this man was her father and about five times his size. He wasn't going to let this happen.

Lance braced himself and then kicked as hard as he could. He caught the horrible man in the leg and if it did nothing else, it made him stop beating his daughter in the street.

He shoved Ryla to the ground and he turned back to Lance. Lance was struggling to get to his feet. He had it in his mind to stand and fight, though his body refused to coordinate.

There was a swift kick to his chest and the world went fuzzy as his breath escaped his lungs as he hit the ground again.

When everything came back into focus, he realized he was being dragged along by his arm.

Off the street, down a side alley.

Lance distantly wondered if he was about to be killed.

Paladin of Voltron. Murdered in an alleyway for getting too cozy with a girl...

He could still hear her crying.

This couldn't happen, he had to do something. Get back up on his worthless feet and fight.

A boot connected with his skull and everything went dark.

* * *

 

Lance awoke with a burning on his tongue and his heart hammering away in his chest.

"Be still, be still," an unfamiliar voice said. Lance blinked up at an old T'yliinian woman. She was shorter than most, her skin a dull brown and her head covered by a loose hood.

"Who're you?" Lance forced out.

"Not important. Here drink." A cup was brought to his lips and he sputtered as it burned its way down his esophagus.

"What s’it?" He gasped.

"Prinin, it will give you the strength to walk home, boy."

"Oh." Lance had the jumbled thought that she was giving him something alcoholic, but he wasn't in much of a position to question or argue. "Th-thank you."

"Yes, well, I am sorry, my husband told me that I could 'make sure the boy on our back step isn't dead,' but you cannot come inside."

"Okay, thank you." Because what else was he supposed to say?

"Normally, we wouldn't be mixed up in the troubles of others, but anyone can see you're an outsider. You must be a stranger or you would never have been with that girl without permission from her head of house."

"Her... What is it?"

"Her father is head of house and there are rules in a house if you’re courting a young girl."

"Do-do you know her? Do you know where she lives? I... I need to make sure she’s okay." Lance felt a warmth spreading from his chest and he sat up, ignoring the pain that blossomed.

"Anything you do now will make it worse." The old woman sat a hand on his shoulder. "I think you should leave. Stay away."

"He hurt her."

"Yes."

"It was my fault. I have to..."

"Go home, boy. That's the best thing you can do."

She stood up and offered a hand. Lance let her pull him into a standing position. His legs shook, but there was a feeling like his nerves were being shocked into alertness. However, the world was still spinning and he thought he was going to be sick.

"Go now, before he decides to come back for you."

Lance was nodding and staggered down the alleyway. He hadn't wanted to think that the man would actually return... Would the man really come back for him? A wave of terror coursed through Lance, causing him to stumble over his own feet. He tipped over a stack of crates and winced at the noise.

Feeling beyond jittery and in pain, he made his way back to the castle, glancing over his shoulder at every turn, startling at noises. He felt a deep well of shame rise inside him.

What had he done? God, what had he done to that girl?

Lance doubled over and threw up in the street.

A sob escaped him and he tried to smother it. He wasn't safe. He needed to keep moving. He shuffled his feet forward; stopping when he gagged again. Lance felt full blown panic hit him now. He needed to get back to the castle. He had to keep going. He stumbled frantically, clawing the nearby wall to keep from falling.

_Keep going. Keep going. Hide away where it's safe. Don't think about that girl. You hurt her. Just go. Don't think. Just move. Move move move._

He had no idea how much time had gone by when he finally limped aboard the castleship. He fell to his knees, breathing out in relief.

_Coward._

* * *

 

Lance was able to make it to his room without running into anyone. He dimly remembered something about a fancy dinner they were all supposed to attend together. Guess he missed it.

It was good though. Nobody was there to ask any questions. He wouldn't have to tell anyone what happened.

How much pain he'd caused.

Lance felt a sob building in his chest. Was it okay to cry over this?

It had been his own fault. Walking around, just assuming he wasn't overstepping any cultural boundaries. He had deserved the beating. And Ryla had been hurt because of him.

Lance let out a short sob. She had tried to help, to stop her father and that had gotten her hurt so much more.

Here he was. Paladin of Voltron and he let a girl get beat for his sake.

Lance stumbled to his bed. He didn't bother with the lights.

He knew in the back of his mind that he needed to do something. That wallowing wasn't going to help anything, but he was hurting and that drink he had been given was making his stomach turn. It felt like he was crashing down and he was left with a sick hollow feeling in his chest.

So Lance slipped his shoes off and curled up under his blanket as best as he could. He pressed his face into his pillow and cried as hard as his injured head and hurting ribs would allow.

It was pathetic, but nobody was around to witness it anyway.

* * *

 

Lance distantly heard a voice calling him. He dragged his mind back from unconsciousness enough to figure out that he was hurting. He tried a hasty retreat back into the abyss of sleep, but he was being shaken and that jostled everything that was bruised and so hurt.

"Lance, what's wrong? You sick?"

Hunk was pulling the blanket from over his head and Lance groaned at the light.

Hunk gasped.

Up until that point, Lance hadn't given much thought to how he looked. His whole face hurt and one eye was swollen partially closed. He knew there was dried blood making his hair stick to his forehead, but he hadn't really had time to think about his appearance overall.

"Oh my god, Lance. Your face, your face!"

It must have been pretty bad.

"'m okay," Lance slurred through swollen lips. The Prinin hadn't worn off completely yet either.

"No, you're really not. Hang on." Hunk was suddenly speaking into his comlink. Lance hadn't realized that he was wearing his armor. Maybe they had been training? But that wasn't right…

"You're not at the party," Lance mumbled.

"Yeah, he's here, back at the castle... no, he's hurt... I don't know." Hunk gently tapped Lance's shoulder. "Where else are you hurt?"

"Why're you here?"

"Why am I here?"

"There was a party." But Lance didn't sound so sure.

"Lance, we didn't go. You were missing, man. We've been looking for you."

Oh.

That wasn't what he expected. Wow, he'd really messed up on a colossal scale. What if he had messed up the alliance?

Lance stared at the space near his wall, his thoughts skittering away from him. His body was waking up and everything was hurting, but he just wanted to be left alone... Well, not really, but he couldn't tell the others what had happened. He was too ashamed.

Hunk was carefully inspecting his head, gently pulling strands of hair away from a cut on his temple.

Lance didn't deserve the kindness.

Here he was with a concerned friend and Ryla was somewhere maybe not receiving any care. What if she was locked away somewhere hurting? Or still being hurt? What if he had killed her?

Lance felt bile rise in his throat.

"He's not responding to me. I think he's got a concussion. What do I do?"

Lance stopped listening at that point. Distracted by the way his skull pounded and his chest hurt. He wondered if his ribs were broken. They certainly felt like it. Maybe he could just go back to sleep.

Hunk was pulling back the blanket, scooping Lance up in his arms. Lance groaned at the movement.

"Sorry, we're going to the infirmary, okay? The others will be here soon."

Lance wanted to protest. He really did.

But Hunk was carrying him through the hallway with great care and talking to him so softly.

Lance couldn't stop the tears that fell down his bruised and swollen face. He couldn't stop from feeling grateful that someone was with him. That he didn't have to be alone.

He really was pathetic.

* * *

 

"Trackers on all of you. That's what I'm going to do, I swear." Shiro rubbed hard at his eyes.

"Or at least on Lance," Pidge mumbled.

"I told you all to stay together," Shiro said for the hundredth time.

"Hunk said it would be okay," Keith remarked.

"Well, I was wrong!" Hunk hissed over the comlink. "Are you guys almost here?"

"We’ll be there soon. Just keep him awake. Coran should be on his way too." At least, Shiro hoped Coran was on his way. The Alteans had gone to the dinner with the T'yliinians in order to make an appearance, but they promised to return shortly. They had postponed all of the official business for another day. All of the Paladins were expected to be present for final agreements to the alliance, but since they had lost Lance, they made an excuse of illness in order to not lose face. Initially, the thought had been that Lance was just blowing them off; it wasn't until a few hours went by, that Shiro had realized something was wrong.

They had all been searching everywhere in the city when Hunk had decided to return to the castle, in case Lance had gone back home.

It was all a mess now. Shiro's worry was validated and he now had an injured teammate and a planet full of aliens that he kept having to find ways to appease.

They finally arrived at the castle and Shiro squared his shoulders. _One problem at a time._ He took a deep breath. Lance first.

* * *

 

Lance was curled on his side, doing his best to hide his face with his hands. Hunk had done a basic medical scan, but he wasn't sure about all the readings that came back. He could guess that a red flashing image of Lance's ribs probably meant that they were at least fractured.

Hunk kept trying to hold Lance's hand, but his friend would shake him off. It didn't make sense; Lance had always taken comfort in the closeness of others. Hunk blamed the head injury.

"Stop," Lance finally groaned when Hunk set a hand on his arm.

"I'm just trying to make sure you're awake."

Lance picked his head up and let it drop on the exam table.

"Whoa, hey man. Don't." Hunk’s hand hung uselessly in the air near his friend’s face. What was this? Even when he was hurt, Lance never acted like this. Like he was withdrawing in on himself...

 _He’s angry_ , Hunk realized. _Mad at himself_.

That was never good.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Hunk whispered.

"No," Lance forced out in a pained breath. Hunk didn't miss the moisture that gathered in the corner of his friend's eyes. Lance shifted his hands, pushing them into his bruised face. Hunk was starting to feel like he might start crying too when the door to the infirmary opened. Lance jumped at the noise.

"It's just the team." Hunk leaned in close. "Just Shiro, Keith and Pidge."

Lance gave the slightest nod, but he didn't really relax after that.

"Lance," Shiro hadn't been sure how bad it was, but going by the boy's face, it looked pretty serious. Lance still had dried blood in his nostrils from a nosebleed. There were multiple bruises and cuts, Shiro could see the dried blood in his hair and he couldn't tell which wound it had come from. "What happened?

"... Had a fight." Lance pressed split lips together in a firm line.

"A fight?" Shiro raised his eyebrows. "With who?"

"Nobody."

Shiro was about to comment that it looked as though ‘Nobody’ had won, when the door slid open again and Coran came striding in. He was greeting them all, sounding jovial enough, but when he caught sight of Lance he did a double take before proceeding to the computer.

"I ran a scan, but I don't know what all these levels mean," Hunk motioned to the screen. Coran made a kind of clicking sound in his throat before he cleared it.

"Let's see here," Coran muttered. He hummed thoughtfully. "What happened?" Coran raised an eyebrow, giving Lance a curious look.

Lance was struggling to sit up, he couldn't just lay there with everyone crowded around him. It was sending nerves through his body and making him want to run away. Get somewhere safe.

"It's not a big deal," Lance mumbled.

"Have you seen yourself?" Pidge blurted. "It is a big deal. You look like you got your ass handed to you."

Lance shook his head, trying to keep the stupid tears from coming up again.

Coran motioned for Shiro to look at one of the computer's readouts. Shiro leaned over and raised his eyebrow.

"Is that what I think it is?" Shiro asked.

"It's not enough to cause complete inebriation. But yes, he's had something."

"Lance," Shiro was forcing himself to use his even tone, but there was a dangerous warning in his voice. "Alright, explain it."

Lance bit his lip. It hurt.

"There's alcohol in your blood. So what really happened tonight?"

"Shiro," Keith was staring, looking as though he had just figured out something. "He's really scared."

Shiro blinked, caught with his mouth open about to ask Lance again to explain. He hadn't really seen it, he'd been too frustrated, but now that he looked, Lance was shaking and fighting back tears.

Shiro took a deep breath. He gathered his thoughts. Something else must have happened tonight.

"Can I have a moment alone with him?" Shiro asked. "Just, everyone step out for a second."

Keith had already been at the door and everyone else soon followed behind.

"I'm right out here," Hunk called back to Lance before the door slid shut. Lance nodded slightly.

"Okay, Lance. Okay." Shiro pulled in a deep breath. "I'm sorry for reacting, but you scared me. Okay? Nobody knew where you were and it was dark out. I was worried about you. You're aging me here, buddy."

Lance nodded. He apologized softly through swollen lips.

"So just, please tell me what happened? You said it was a fight, but it certainly doesn't look like you won. Just... did someone hurt you?"

Lance's eyes widened a bit. Shiro's implication was broad, allowing Lance to agree to a wide variety of possibilities if he said yes.

He found himself nodding.

"Did the person that hurt you give you something to drink?"

Lance was shaking his head. This wasn't the right line of questioning. Lance wasn't even the real victim here; it had been his own fault.

"’s not like that," Lance insisted. His own voice sounded strange to him. "It was my f-fault." And damn it all, he was crying again. His chest ached from the way it heaved with sudden sobs.

"Hey, hey," Shiro put a hand gently on his shoulder. But that just made him cry harder. He didn't deserve the comfort.

Shiro retracted his hand, switching tactics. Lance had always been open to physical affection, so this behavior had caught him off guard.

"Lance, take a breath. As deep as you can without hurting yourself."

Lance's breathing stuttered to a stop, he was trying so desperately to just stop crying.

"No, breathe. Just breathe." Shiro took a few exaggerated breaths and he kept it up until Lance was shuttering out breaths in unison with him.

His tears had slowed and Lance wiped gently at them, trying not to touch the bruising on his face. It hurt no matter where he pressed.

"Can I sit?" Shiro motioned to the empty space on the exam table. Lance hesitated and then nodded.

Shiro moved slowly and he left plenty of space between his arm and Lance's. Sometimes it was easier to talk if someone wasn't sitting directly in front of you, looking in your face. At least, that's how it worked for Keith anyway.

"I can't make you tell me," Shiro kept his voice even. "But it will be easier to help you, if you do."

Lance breathed out, his shoulders dropping with the action. Shiro had never seen him look so defeated. They sat in silence for a long moment and Shiro thought he could hear the ticking of a clock in his mind. Seconds went by, turning into minutes. Shiro was beginning to think this wasn't going to work after all when Lance sucked in a breath and said Shiro's name on the exhale, quieter than a whisper.

Shiro hummed in response, worrying actual words could cause Lance to lose his courage.

"I did something stupid..."

Shiro held his breath and nodded, encouraging him to continue.

Lance told him everything.

* * *

 

Shiro had gone so silent during the course of the story, that Lance thought he must be furious, but he didn't interrupt or ask questions, he just let Lance talk. Even when he started choking and sobbing over Ryla being beat in front of him and how there hadn't been a thing he could do. He didn't even think Shiro could understand him at that point. Lance wiped bloody snot from his nose and stammered over his experience of waking up in the alley and being given a strange drink that burned his throat and set his senses on edge.

"I was s-s-scared. She said he might come back and I thought-and I thought I was going to die. And what if he really hurt her worse than me? It's my fault, Shiro."

"No, it's not." Shiro finally spoke, his voice sharply cutting Lance off.

"But it is, I shouldn't have- I should have realized."

"What he did to her was not your fault." Shiro slipped down from the exam table and he stood with his arms crossed. "He shouldn't have put a finger on you. Their traditions be damned."

"Are you mad?"

"Yes, I'm mad." Shiro huffed. "We're going to figure something out.” He eyed Lance carefully. “But for now, you need to be taken care of. I'll have Coran get a pod ready."

"I don't need a pod."

"Lance..."

"It's not right. I don't deserve it. I-"

"Can I hug you?"

Lance opened and shut his mouth, too stunned to carry on. He nodded.

Because even though he knew he didn't deserve the kindness, he couldn't stop himself from accepting it. He craved gentle words and caring touches. So yes, he wanted a hug.

Lance collapsed in Shiro's open arms.

It hurt and it made Lance's head swim, but he couldn't help but be grateful for Shiro.

"It's going to be okay," Shiro whispered. "I swear, we'll find her and we'll help her, but you need to take care of yourself too."

Lance wondered if Shiro was promising to do the impossible. He placed a hand on the back of Lance’s neck, one of the few places that wasn’t bruised or spattered with dried blood.

“It’s going to be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration for this actually came when I was rereading my comments on The Drifter. A friend pointed out that they liked the idea of Shiro thinking someone had hurt Lance without the team knowing and that Lance was hiding it. Next part will be up late Thursday or early Friday. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and please leave me a comment!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that this fic was only listed as having one chapter. That must have been awful for you guys. And you still read it and left kudos and bookmarked it. I am so grateful. 
> 
> So I really didn't even realize that I had posted this on International Women's day. But that is really fitting. Maybe it was meant to happen that way.
> 
> Please excuse mistakes, I was rushing to proofread because I wanted to get it posted as soon as possible.

Hunk was startled so badly when the door opened that he jumped and knocked Pidge over from her place leaning on his shoulder. They both scrambled up from the floor, questions shattering the quiet of the corridor.

"Is he okay?"

"What happened?"

"Is he going into a pod?"

"Do you know who did it?"

The last question was from Keith and Shiro raised an eyebrow at him.

"It's the middle of the night, Keith. Even if he knew who it was, you're not doing anything about it right now."

Hunk glanced over and realized Keith looked like he was ready to go out and carry out vigilante justice.

It was touching, in a way.

Shiro eyed the group carefully. Eventually his gaze fell on Allura. She had finally joined them after returning from her meeting with the T’yliinians. He held her gaze as he spoke.

"I would like to postpone further talks with the T'yliinians. Until we get this sorted out."

"I can arrange that, but what's happened? Pidge said he was involved in a fight."

"Fight's not the word I would use."

Shiro looked around at them all, the worry he felt reflected on their faces. He wished he had something better to tell them. He took a deep breath.

He told the story calmly. That Lance had taken a liking to a girl and they had spent the day together. He reported what happened after in a detached way. Not thinking about how hard Lance had started to cry when he told him he couldn't save her. How he'd thought the man was going to kill him, how he had woken up still terrified that the man would come back for him.

Shiro finished the story quickly and once he was done, he looked to Coran.

“Coran, he's refusing a pod. Can you go try to talk to him? You can read the medical stuff better than me. I think the pod would be best for his head and ribs."

"Of course, of course," Coran nodded and immediately moved through the infirmary door. When Shiro turned back to the group, he saw that Keith was inching down the hallway with Pidge at his side.

"No. There is nothing to be done right now." Shiro looked to Hunk for a voice of reason, but Hunk looked beyond furious. His mouth was set in a thin line and he breathed through his nose purposefully.

"What are we doing then?" Hunk bit out.

"We wait till morning. Allura and I will talk with the T'yliinians. Even if this lines up with their customs, this isn't something we're going to ignore."

"That's all really vague, Shiro." Pidge's eyes were narrowed.

"We'll figure it out," Shiro said and Allura nodded in agreement.

"We won't stand for this," she added.

"Well, figure it out quick or we'll take care of it ourselves.” Pidge crossed her arms.  

Shiro could feel the line being drawn. He and the adults could try to operate within the rules and laws. But they were three pissed off teenagers. Pissed off teenagers with weapons and the brains to find anyone they were looking for and take them out if needed.

Shiro shook his head. "I know you will. Please give us some time."

Hunk turned away. "I'm going to talk to him." He disappeared into the room with Pidge following close behind.

Shiro took a deep breath.

"Keith, could you please not do anything tonight?"

Keith hummed before walking away. "I'm going to go train,” he said without looking back.

There was quiet in the corridor as Shiro tried to digest the events of the night. "I should have explained the planet’s customs more thoroughly. I was so worried about Pidge, I didn't think about warning Lance."

"It has been difficult these past few days." Allura was choosing her words carefully. She had been doing that a lot lately. Shiro was tired of it.

"They don't even want to talk to you, Allura. Coran and I shouldn't always have to be there just to get them to listen to you." Shiro met Allura's eyes. "They reached out to us for help, but maybe that's where we end. No alliance between us."

"They would be a valuable asset and, despite their attitude, they do need help."

"I know, but we need to draw the line somewhere."

"I know." Allura cast her eyes away, deep in thought. "As you said, we will figure this out."

Shiro sighed. They'd have to figure out how to handle this soon, or else there was going to be an angry group of young Paladins seeking retribution.

* * *

 

"Coran says it's a concussion. You really need the pod, buddy." Hunk was leaning close, but not touching Lance.

"He says it will take at least three days. I can't do _nothing_ for three days. I have to find her."

Lance knew the others had been told the story now, but it didn't help him feel any better. Hunk sighed and he looked at Pidge who had crawled up to sit on the exam table with Lance. She shook her head, not sure what to say.

“Shiro’s mad,” Lance muttered. Hunk sighed.

“He’s not mad at you though. He’s mad at what happened,” Pidge clarified. She reached over and tentatively tugged at Lance’s sleeve. “Nobody’s mad at you.”

Lance nodded, but he looked confused. The concussion wasn’t making any of this easier to discuss. They needed to get Lance taken care of.

Hunk had an idea.

"Okay, how about you go in the pod for half the time? Coran, would that be okay?"

"He wouldn't be completely healed, but he would be over the worst of it, most likely. We could do that."

"Yeah, see. Just a day and a half. Just so you feel a bit better. Let the rest of us take care of it, we're a team after all. We'll start looking around for her."

"I guess," Lance mumbled. His eyes darted from one side to the other. "That would probably be okay."

The room gave a collective sigh of relief.

They moved on with getting Lance prepped for a pod. Lance moved stiffly, hesitating before he moved anything. Coran paused when he saw the imprint of a boot on Lance's back; a remnant of the blunt force that had been applied there. He was lucky he hadn't punctured a lung.

"You're very brave, my boy," Coran said in a hushed voice. Lance turned to face him, his eyes wide.

"I'm-I'm not. I'm not at all."

Coran smiled. A tired fondness shimmered in his eyes.

"Yes, you are."

* * *

 

The T'yliinians were being cooperative; saying they would help search for the one who had injured the blue Paladin. They were less concerned about the girl, claiming that was a personal matter.

"Lance isn't going to be happy," Hunk remarked. The team was waiting outside of the pod, counting down the last few dobashes until Lance was due to come out. They had been over the area in the market and had asked the shop owners questions, but nobody was coming forward.

"He got beat in the street. There _were_ witnesses, Shiro." Pidge had bit out after a day of fruitless searching.

The T'yliinian higher ups had launched their own investigation into the matter, but nothing had come about yet. They had been quick to try and placate the Paladins, claiming it was uncommon for this kind of violence to happen to an outsider. They were in debt to Voltron; they needed Voltron’s assistance if they were going to continue standing against the Galra. There had been the beginnings of desperation when they spoke, behind all the propriety and posturing. They needed Voltron. And that need made them placate and flatter and bend the truth.

Shiro didn't trust their words. Nobody did.

Lance's awakening was met with a subdued atmosphere. He blinked and looked at them all and knew that there wasn’t any good news.  

"You're going to be sore," Coran warned. Lance had accepted careful hugs from Hunk and Pidge and he nodded when they asked if he was okay. There was bruising still visible on his face. The swelling was gone, but the bruises had yellowed around the edges and there were still dark smudges around his eye and temple.

"Go easy with your ribs," Coran reminded him.

"I'm okay," Lance said. His voice sounded far away, tired and hollow. "So, you guys didn't find her?"

"Let's get some food first and then we'll talk about it more," Shiro suggested.

Lance sighed. He guessed that talking was just about the only worthless thing he could do.

* * *

 

Their late lunch was quiet. Shiro explained what they had done. It was a lot of talking that surmounted to basically nothing.

"I'm sorry, Lance. We're still looking."

"Where's Keith?" Lance asked. The mullet was noticeably missing from their table.

"Training. Shiro won't let him search the city alone," Pidge answered.

"There is a meeting and dinner scheduled tonight with some of the dignitaries. They wish to discuss our alliance with everyone. Under the circumstances, you aren't expected to go, Lance." Allura was giving him a sympatheic look.

"No, I'll go. Maybe if I could talk to them myself. Maybe they would help more."

Allura pressed her lips together in a frown. She wasn't sure if it would make a difference, but she wouldn't force Lance to stay behind.

After lunch was finished, they went on a walk through the city. Lance was supposed to be retracing his steps, but being concussed and buzzed made his memory of the night fuzzy at best.

"It was dark," Lance admitted. "It looked different."

Still, they tried. They walked and walked, but Lance couldn't tell for sure.

The sun began to set and Lance found himself back at the statue where he had first met Ryla. He sat down heavily and watched a few kids play that same game with stones. The little sister wasn't there, he had hoped...

"She lives around here. We could ask around,” Lance said quietly.

"We've done that," Keith crossed his arms. "Nobody wants to talk to us."

Lance was quiet for a few minutes. He stood up, tried not to wince at the movement, and walked over to the kids. The children stopped playing, staring at him nervously. Lance dropped to a knee.

"Hey, does anyone here know Lin? She has a sister named Ryla. She plays here, right?"

"Yeah," one little girl replied, peeking out from behind a taller friend.

"Do you know where she lives?"

"In a big house!" The child declared. Lance smiled.

"Which big house?"

"The green one over there!" The little girl pointed off to the right and then giggled as she stumbled over her own feet. Lance stood up and the kids went back to playing, ignoring his presence now.

He walked back to the group.

"That was a good idea," Hunk said. "Kids usually tell it like it is. You want to go down that street?"

Lance frowned, studying where the child had pointed. Green was a pretty common color for the houses in the area.

 "Kids don't always have the best sense of direction, but we should try it,” Lance turned to walk down the street.

It was dawning on Lance that he didn't have a plan. What was he supposed to do? Knock on doors and ask for her? There was a chance she would be in even more trouble if the father saw him wandering their street. The possibility of running into the dad again sent a wave of anxiety through him.

This wasn't like last time. He had his team, he had his armor, his bayard even.

Shiro caught up to them, he had been on the other side of the square, speaking to a few shop owners.

"We have to head back," Shiro told them. "The meeting is starting soon."

They decided to at least walk down the street and talk to anyone they ran into. However, it was quiet on that road. Nobody was out and about and there wasn't anything that suggested something was amiss. They were all big homes, with lavish gardens and decor. There weren't any clues here.

A hand landed on Lance's shoulder and he jumped.

"Whoa, man." Hunk held his hands up. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Lance forced out. He knew he sounded stupid and scared and weak.

"We'll try again tomorrow morning, okay?" Hunk said when they reached the end of the street. "It's going to work out."

Lance nodded. He was doing his best to believe that.

* * *

 

The meeting was taking place in the T'yliinian's council room. Allura, Coran and the Paladins had assembled in the middle of the room. A long table stretched before them. Allura and Shiro stood at the front of their group, while Lance found a place towards the back. He just wanted this to be over with.

After several long moments, the T'yliinians slowly filed in. Allura said they had assembled every official in the area along with several high ranking members of their army. It would be a much bigger group than they had previously encountered in these meetings.

The T'yliinians were all taking their seats and a few nodded in Shiro and Allura's direction. Seemed like they were expected to stand throughout this thing, since no chairs had been supplied for their team. Lance tried to ignore a twinge of pain from his knee. He hadn't realized it was still hurting him until now. Walking around the city must not have been good for it. Lance let his eyes wander down the line of officials. This seemed so surreal, having a formal meeting, followed by some mundane dinner, when less than two days ago he'd nearly had his skull kicked in.

His life was strange and unsettling. He would never get used to-

Large scar on his right cheek. A set of dark, calculating eyes..

Lance's breath caught in his throat. He took a step back without thinking. He thought maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him, but no.

It was him. He was right there. And he looked bored of all things. Lance felt a sense of panic and his immediate response was to get away, to find a safe place.

_Stupid, stupid. Do something._

"Lance, you alright?" Hunk whispered.

_Say something._

Lance opened and shut his mouth, making a choking sound in his throat.

Allura was talking to the main representative; some formal discussion going on while Lance's knees threatened to give out on him.

The man turned his head, looking at the Paladins for the first time. Something like curiosity crossed his face. His eyes landed on Lance and there was confusion and then dawning realization. His eyes bulged for an instant before he composed himself and looked away. Back to looking bored.

That was it.

That was it?

Lance felt anger blossom in his chest and he took a breath so deep that he thought he could hear his healing ribs crack all over again.

"Lance, what happened?" Hunk sounded more frantic now. "Are you hurting?"

"It's him," Lance hissed finally.

"What?" Hunk followed Lance's gaze, but he couldn't tell who Lance was talking about. "Who?"

"The one with the scar across his cheek. Ryla's father." Because saying the man who'd nearly beaten him to death was too horrible. Not when it was all so close, not when the man was right there, getting ready to share a meal with them.

"What? Are you serious?" Hunk was no longer being quiet. The commotion made Pidge turn around.

"What's going on?" She whispered loudly.

"The guy we were looking for is here." Hunk pointed. "That one."

Pidge spun back around.

"Really?" She looked back at Lance. Something dark was taking over her features. Lance nodded. Never taking his eyes off the man. Pidge took two steps forward and grabbed Keith's arm, pulling him away from his place near Shiro.

"What are you doing?" Keith jerked his arm away from her, he had been startled too much to keep his voice down. Shiro had slightly turned, gauging the cause of the commotion. Allura faltered in whatever speech she was in the middle of, but she kept going.

"Keith, the one with the scar on his face, that's the guy. That's the one who hurt Lance." Hunk pointed to the man.

There was exactly one tick before Keith's bayard was out and formed into the sword. Pidge followed suit, her bayard forming instantly.

Shiro spun completely around and put out his arm to stop them from moving forward.

"Shiro, that's him, the piece of shit we've been looking for!" Keith was pointing his sword, there was an outcry among the T'yliinians as some of them stood, preparing for a fight, while others held out their arms, trying to calm the room.

And that man just sat there. A smirk twisting up the corner of his mouth.

Lance felt like throwing up.

Coran was suddenly at Lance's side, telling him to stay calm. Lance thought he must have looked pathetic indeed. Looking like a scared kid. He needed to get a grip.

Allura took a place in front of him, blocking Lance's view of the man. She was standing taller than he'd ever seen her.

The room quieted after Keith and Pidge didn't immediately attack anyone. Then Allura was talking and Lance felt like static had filled his head. Her specific words escaped him, but he got the gist.

This man was the culprit they had been looking for. This was offensive, this was an insult. She sounded furious.  

"I've done nothing to this boy, he's clearly confused."

Lances eyes went wide as he forced the static from his head. The anger he had felt earlier, grew and, for that moment, it outweighed any fear he had.

"You have two daughters." Lance stepped forward, he cleared his throat. Allura stepped slightly to the side, allowing Lance room. "They're named Ryla and Lin. Ryla is older and Lin is just a kid. You have a big family. You live near the main square... You're head of your house." Lance's voice had become raised and he had stepped past both Shiro and Allura without realizing it.

"And you hurt her and you hit me when I tried to stop you." Lance felt like his eyes were watering, but he stared unblinking at that face.

He was going to face him. He wasn't going to be scared.

The T'yliinians said nothing for a moment.

"Raiz, is that true?" The T'yliinian in the middle spoke. He was the highest ranking official, judging by the medals and ornaments on his clothes.

"I have done nothing against our laws, Casal,” Raiz bit out.

There was a murmur of discontent among the T'yliinians.

"You were questioned about the incident this morning and you claimed ignorance. You've lied to the council and embarrassed us." Casal's voice was dangerously low.

"I didn't know that the slut I caught was a paladin of Voltron."

Lance blanched.

"I didn't even do anything like that!" Lance hated how his words shook.

"Enough!" Shiro had moved in front of Lance. His hand lit up briefly in warning. "Do not say another word." His tone had gone icy. "I do not care about your laws. I do not care about anything you say. You do not attack a member of this team. You do not nearly kill my teammate because you think he insulted you."

"There will be no alliance." Allura was speaking now. "No alliance." She repeated.

The T'yliinians all started talking at once and Lance felt tears burning at his eyes again. He couldn't cry now, everyone would see.

"Steady, my boy," Coran was at his side, clasping his arm. "Stay calm."

Lance nodded and he forced his breathing to become regular.

The word ‘retribution’ was being tossed around the room. They needed Voltron. Their pride and customs seemed to fade away now as they scrambled to make a deal. To do anything to gain Voltron's favor.

"Name your price, Paladin."

It took a long moment for Lance to realize he was being addressed. Allura and Shiro were both looking at him expectantly.

"What?" Lance blinked.

"Lance," Allura spoke carefully, "it is on your terms. Any punishment, conditions or anything at all, they will do it, for the alliance. But if there is nothing, then we will leave."

"Ryla," Lance blurted. He realized he sounded like he was demanding a person and he stuttered, trying to collect himself. "I-I mean, I want to see her. I want to make sure she's okay."

"Is that... all?" Casel asked. Lance swallowed hard.

"Can... If she's not okay. Then, then I will... decide."

There was a long pause in the room where nobody spoke.

“Agreed." Casal waved to Raiz. “Bring the girl.”

* * *

 

Lance was pacing. They had moved to a nice office space with plenty of plush chairs and a small couch. It would have been comfortable under different circumstances. Now, as they waited for Ryla to be brought, the whole room felt uneasy.

Shiro, Allura and Coran had stayed and continued to speak to the T'yliinians, but Hunk, Pidge, Keith and Lance all waited together in the warm room.

"Lance, are you okay?" Hunk asked. It was a stupid question, because obviously Lance was struggling through something, but he didn't know what else to say.

Lance continued pacing, but he shook his head. "I don't know," he finally answered.

"You're favoring your leg. You should sit." Keith suggested.

"I can't." Lance shook his head again. "I can't sit still anymore." He'd already spent too much time doing nothing.

Hunk was about to offer some word of comfort when the door opened and Shiro appeared. It felt like the air was sucked out of the room. Shiro was frowning, his face pinched with worry. The worst scenario went through Lance's mind. Maybe Ryla had been beaten too badly, what if she had punctured a lung or her brain had bled...

"Lance." Shiro opened the door wider and ushered in a familiar face. Covered in bruises and swollen, but still recognizable.

"Ryla," Lance breathed out. Her face lit up when she saw him and she hobbled as quickly as she could, nearly stumbling before she threw her arms about him.

"I'm so sorry!" She cried. "I was so scared for you!"

Lance wanted to say that obviously he was alright. He wanted to sound cool and reassuring. But as she cried into his shoulder, he broke. He cried apologies into her hair and begged for her forgiveness.

She pulled away, her fingers traced the fading bruising on his face.

"You've done nothing wrong. I'm the one who needs to ask for forgiveness." She was missing a tooth in the corner of her mouth now. Lance thought it had probably been knocked out when her father had dragged her backwards, after she tried to save him.

Lance shook his head. "You don't need to."

He embraced her again, holding her as though he could make it better.

He would protect her this time.

* * *

 

Ryla had been beaten badly after her father had dragged her home. Lance insisted she be treated in a pod at the castle of lions. He wouldn't decide anything to do with the alliance until she was healed.

For four days, an entire planet waited for Lance's decision.

Part of him wanted to say no, they would not align themselves with this planet that hurt him. But condemning them all for the father's actions was condemning Ryla too. So many innocent people need Voltron's protection.

Lance couldn't walk away from them all.

So his conditions were simple.

Ryla didn't have to go home after she woke up. There was a safe house on the edge of the city. That is where Lance took her. The T'yliinian society was full of people like her father, but it was also full of those who would protect others, people who were trying to change the laws and customs and create a better future. Ryla could find a place with them.

"You could come with me. We could find another planet for you to live on. Somewhere safe and far from here." Lance had already offered this, but he needed to be sure she was going to be okay.

"I need to be around for Lin. When she gets older, she may need somewhere to go. I will have a place for her. Also, I want to help others. Maybe… we can change the world." She put her arms around him before they parted. “I don’t regret meeting you. I was happy to spend time with you. You are kind.”

Lance swallowed. “I was happy to meet you too.”

She laughed. “Now, go save the universe. I will be alright.”

He left her with a communications device and told her to call any time. She smiled at him. He could see her missing tooth and there was a new scar on her temple.

She was still beautiful.

* * *

 

Raiz was booted from his council job. That wasn't part of Lance's conditions, but he had certainly suggested it.

Lance had demanded nothing else. Though he made sure they all knew that Voltron would be checking in. If Raiz ever laid a hand on any of his daughters again, the Galra would be the least of their worries

* * *

 

"Shiro, this is really ugly."

"I don't care." Shiro snapped the bracelet in place around Lance's wrist. "If you're going out without your armor, you're wearing the tracker."

"Seriously? I'm not going to wander off." Lance eyed the bracelet with extreme distaste. It was bulky and grey and had a little blinking light on one side. Hideous. "You could have at least made it blue," he grumbled.

"Everyone is wearing one. Either you wear it or you stay in the castle."

"Fine, fine." It was humiliating, but it was also weirdly touching that Shiro worried that much for his welfare. Though he couldn't really blame him after what had happened before, he didn't need to worry so much. Lance was going to stay close to the group the whole time. He was done wandering off.

"Alright, let's head out. Stay together, the shopping district on this planet gets crowded-"

"Shiro," Keith interrupted. Keith held aloft the last bracelet. "You forgot yours."

"Oh, well, I don't think..."

Keith handed the bracelet to him, his expression stony. "You too."

Shiro sighed, but he snapped the bracelet on his flesh wrist. Lance laughed at his sour expression and Shiro shot him a look.

"So," Lance put an arm around Pidge as they headed out. "I assume you helped make these. What modifications can you add to this thing?"

"If you push the button on the inside it can record a noise and play it back. They all come with prerecorded fart noises. Shiro doesn't know."

"Thank you, Pidge. You are a gift."

"Figured you'd like that."

They stayed close together for that trip. Lance was constantly flanked by two or three Paladins. He couldn't be annoyed by that. Not when shadows in the corners still caught his eye and not when his heart sped up every time there was any kind of commotion.

They wandered the different little stores, Lance placed a few inappropriate noises when Keith or Shiro were turned the other way. It was all going okay. Really. Lance was having a good time with his friends. He saw a few pretty girls and he smiled at them, but he didn't try for conversation. He was going to have to work up to that again.

They were about ready to head back when a display of fruit got knocked over and a woman let out a startled yell. Lance felt his heart leap into his throat. It hadn't even been particularly loud, but it was close and the sudden movement sent him on edge immediately. He thought of Ryla, screaming and crying and he couldn’t breathe right. His chest hurt.

There wasn't anything bad, he shouldn't be scared. They were already cleaning it up, nothing here was dangerous. He shouldn’t be scared there wasn’t anything…

There was a small hand in his and he was being dragged out of the store.

"I'm okay," Lance forced out.

"Yeah," Pidge scoffed. "You're obviously fine." She had dragged him to a quieter corner of the street. "Lance, your tracker blinks when your heart rate speeds up. Sit down, okay?"

"In the street?" Lance asked, breathless.

"Yeah, it's okay, nobody cares."

Nobody had cared last time either.

They just all walked by, went about their day and Lance had thought he was going to die in that alleyway. Lance slipped down, his legs giving out slowly until he settled into a hunched position on the ground. 

"Wow, okay, that's fast. Hunk's coming over."

The light must have been blinking like crazy, but Lance had shut his eyes now, forcing himself to breathe. 

"Hey man," Hunk's was there, sitting close. "It's okay. You're okay."

Lance knew he was okay. He knew he wasn't in danger, but he couldn't stop the way he felt. Like there was some looming darkness that was about to crush him.

"Breathe in and out." Ah, Shiro had joined them now. He must have been kneeling down, his voice sounded close by. "Deep breath in. And exhale."

Lance followed along, grateful when his lungs cooperated, grateful that they didn't hurt. His ribs had finished healing long ago. He was fine.

He should have been fine.

Once his breathing returned to normal, he stood. He didn’t want to be here anymore. Hunk put a gentle arm around his shoulders and they walked back to the castle. Nobody made any sudden moves. It was quiet and it was slow.

"I wish you had let me punch that Raiz guy." Keith broke the silence.

“Punch him with your sword maybe,” Pidge grumbled.

"Not now, you two," Shiro hissed. Lance let out a mirthless laugh.

"Next time it happens, you can punch anyone you want," Lance mumbled. He was so tired suddenly.

"There better not be a next time." Keith was scowling.

They made it back to the castle with no further incident. Lance went right to bed and slept for the rest of the day. When he finally woke up, he realized he had slept through dinner. He stumbled into the hall and made his way into the kitchen. He was surprised to find Coran and Hunk there, cleaning up.

"Hey, how you feeling? Are you hungry?" Hunk held up an empty bowl. "I saved you some soup. Want me to get you some?"

"Sure," Lance shrugged.

Hunk grinned and started ladling broth into the bowl. Coran inched his way over to Lance until he was standing right beside him.

"How are you?" Coran asked.

"I'm okay."

Coran nodded, not completely believing him, but playing along.

"I meant to tell you sooner. I'm very proud of you."

"I haven't done anything." Lance was looking at the floor. All he had done was embarrass himself lately.

"I disagree. You are brave and you are kind and you are good." Coran sat an arm around his shoulders and pulled him in closer. "And I am so proud of you."

Lance blinked the sudden wetness away in his eyes and he swallowed around the lump in his throat.

"Thanks," he managed to choke out.

Hunk was sitting the soup on the counter before he wrapped Coran and Lance in a hug.

“I’m proud of you too,” Hunk added, his own eyes going teary.

Lance let out a watery laugh and relaxed into the embrace.

He supposed, if his team stayed with him, if they could really think he was brave...

Then maybe he could be strong.

The end.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started crying when I wrote a bit of this. I just really love Lance. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading! Please leave a comment!


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